Some additional news: I will very shortly be able to include color art along with these announcements.  In the meantime, below are five layouts of supporting characters recruited from the ranks of the Amiculi themselves who will be making brief appearances in the first volume.  Enjoy!

Salvete, Amiculi!

I have just returned from Chicago, where my friend and artist Giancarlo Caracuzzo graciously arranged to meet with me amid his busy jet-setting schedule and deliver several Kickstarter backer rewards and new art!  An excellent meeting all around, with big, BIG plans for the future volumes of the Amiculus trilogy set into motion!

Greetings, Amiculi!

The first pencils for the first several pages Volume I have arrived, including the one to the left, which picks up just moments after the last panel of the preview volume. Very dramatic stuff, if I do say so myself!

Giancarlo has also provided me a sneak preview of some of the exclusive Kickstarter backer art he has produced. I will be meeting with him in a few weeks to receive the finished art from him. This is a momentous occasion, not only marking the fulfillment of a backer reward level, but the first face-to-face meeting we will have had in the two years of our partnership.  I'll be sure to post the results when I receive them.

We're also currently hard at work designing the character layout cards for the six main characters from the book, the progress of which I look forward to showing you as well.

More to come soon!

Hey, Amiculi,

Sorry it's been awhile. It may appear as if I just dropped dead ten days ago once the campaign ended, but I have been furiously getting my ducks in a row to resume work on Volume One.  And the thing about ducks is they don't row up so easy on their own.

So at this point, I'm getting contracts in order, refining scripts one last time, and reaching out to backers to get information for rewards production and delivery. The fun will resume toward the end of the month!

At this time, I would like to reiterate: to everyone who pledged, everyone who spread the word, who "liked" the FB page and shared my updates, to everyone who looked at my posts, art, etc. said "Hm," with a slightly raised eyebrow and nod, then moved on to binge-watching cat videos: thank you.  You are the life's ink coursing through these pages, and I look forward to making you say "Hm" again very soon!

Also, while considering your holiday plans this week, please consider attending my Facebook event, "Son of Amiculus Day: The Sequel!" It involves little more than signing up as "attending" and then just checking out the campaign on Kickstarter and seeing how you feel. Everyone who signs up will receive a free PDF of the 20-page Amiculus preview!

Thanks again for all your support, and I look forward to seeing you on Son of Amiculus Day!

After some delays due to technical issues, my interview on the podcast DJ Grandpa's Crib will drop on Monday, June 30. Be sure to listen in!

I've made some changes to two of the backer levels in the Kickstarter: 

Tier 8: The "Amiculize Me!" Package is now $200, down from $250;









Tier 10: The Deluxe Package now includes a hardcover version of the 80-page Kickstarter edition book, along with softcover and PDF, as well as an 18x24 poster of the Amiculus Map. All signed, of course!

We have even more great Amiculus press! The comic site Bleeding Cool has graciously published this article on its site featuring the Kickstarter. In exchange, I have created a fun mini-stretch goal for backers!

I'm keeping track of how many Bleeding Cool readers become backers. If the campaign reaches $6000 by June 26, I will immediately release the 20-page Amiculus preview to all backers! 

So check it out, pass it on, and make sure your friends and social networks are aware of this mini-stretch goal. If it goes well, I will definitely be doing more of them!

As of June 16:

• Funded: 46%
 
• Pledged: $4,276
 
• Days to go: 25